African Style: down to the details

Brimming over with vibrant photography and inspiring projects, African Style sheds light on traditional textiles, colors, and materials used in a variety of African cultures and ways of adapting them to modern living. From the basic importance of paint to the fine details of accessories, author Sharne Algotsson (Spirit of African Design) and photographer George Ross have brought together a fabulous blend of creative inspiration, geographical and historical information, and easy projects that will have readers itching to add new style to their homes.

Algottson's suggestion of creating a color board when creating a new look for a room is invaluable. With a simple 11 x 17 sheet of art board, you can combine color chips and fabric scraps to achieve just the right look before making the more permanent commitment of painting the walls and buying new window coverings. Detailed explanations of color--indigo, orange, deep brown, red--will have you ready to take some risks and use those flamboyant shades in your home, while at the same time educate you on the cultural meanings behind some colors. Accompanying all these unique ideas and fascinating information are some truly stunning photographs captured with a playful eye. Ross uses a variety of unusual angles and lighting in his work that capture these glorious interiors in a fresh manner that will encourage you to beautify everything from the walls of your bedroom to the legs of your creaky old footstool. Patterns from Zulu baskets, Ewe cloth, Ashanti Adinkra symbols, and Asoke textiles are used with flair in every corner. Specific suggestions are included for recovering seat cushions, painting small pieces of furniture, and upholstering a headboard--all surprisingly simple projects that require little more than a paintbrush, a staple gun, and an artistic vision. --Jill Lightner